Feather picker having sectional finger supports

ABSTRACT

A feather picker having a plurality of fingers mounted on a sectionalized support for removing the feathers from poultry carcasses as they are suspended from a conveyor line. The support comprises a pair of sections in spaced, end-to-end relationship having yieldable structure interconnecting the ends thereof permitting limited relative movement of the sections as they are driven by eccentrics in unison through a predetermined orbital path. The sectionalizing of the finger support with relative movement between the sections serves to minimize as well as make it easier to compensate for the inertial stresses imposed upon the support as it constantly changes direction while moving through its orbital path. Furthermore, the requirement for a perfectly timed drive mechanism to maintain the eccentrics in perfect synchronization is thus eliminated.

nite States Patent 1 Crawford et al.-

[ 1 June 26, 1973 FEATHER PICKER HAVING SECTIONAL 'FINGER SUPPORTS [73]Assignee: Gordon Johnson Company, Kansas City, Mo.

22 Filed: July 26,1971

21 Appl. No.: 166,019

Primary Examiner-Lucie H. Laudenslager Attorney-Schmidt, Johnson,l-lovey & Williams [57] ABSTRACT A feather picker having a plurality offingers mounted on a sectionalized support for removing the feathersfrom poultry carcasses as they are suspended from aconveyor line. Thesupport comprises a pair of sections in spaced, end-to-end relationshiphaving yieldable structure interconnecting the ends thereof permittinglimited relative movement of the sections as they are driven byeccentrics in unison through a predetermined orbital path. Thesectionalizing of the finger support with relative movement between thesections serves to minimize as well as make it easier to compensate forthe inertial stresses imposed upon the support as it constantly changesdirection while moving through its orbital path. Furthermore, therequirement for a perfectly timed drive mechanism to maintain theeccentrics in perfect synchronization is thus eliminated.

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENTEUJUNZSISZS 3, 740,793

1 or g O60OTF F 006000 INVENTORS. Rober'f 0. Crawford BY ph D. JohnsonEjQUJQS PAIENYED SHEEK E Q? 2 INVENTORS. Roberf 0. Crawford BY Ralph DJohnson 7 JW AT NE Y8.

FEATHER PICKER HAVING SECTIONAL FINGER SUPPORTS This invention relatesto an improvement for an apparatus to remove feathers from poultry asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,540, owned by the assignee hereof,dated Nov. 10, 1970, in the name of J. L. I-lathorn, and entitledPoultry Defeathering Apparatus. The apparatus of the patent is designedto mechanically remove the feathers from the carcasses of poultry by anorbital scrubbing action as they are moved along a conveyor line. Theaction is obtained by causing a feather picking finger support to orbitin an elliptical path of travel which requires that the entire mass ofthe support continually change direction, thus creating considerableinertial stresses within the support and its attendant drive and basestructure. Whereas the disclosure of the above-mentioned patent providesa significant improvement in the art of removing feathers from poultry,the instant invention is important in that certain struc' turalrequirements of the patented machine are eliminated. More specifically,the improvement herein disclosed relates to the sectionalizing of thefingermounting supports to divide the mass thereof and thereby minimizethe magnitude of the inertial stresses generated because the entire massof the support need not change direction simultaneously at all times asit moves in its orbital path. This invention, furthermore, permits alimited out-of-pha se condition between the series of eccentrics whichdrive the supports in their orbital path, thereby eliminating therequirement for perfect synchronization of the eccentrics.

It is, therefore, an important object of our present invention toimprove upon the poultry defeathering apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 3,538,540.

It is another important object of this invention to reduce the magnitudeof the inertial stresses imposed upon the finger supports at any onepoint in time as it is driven and moved about its predetermined orbitalpath.

It is a further important object of our invention to provide a featherpicker that is able to tolerate a limited out-of-phase, angularrelationship between the series of eccentrics which move the fingersupport in its orbital path, thus making it unnecessary to maintainperfect angular synchronization therebetween.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a feather pickerwhich can be constructed of relatively lightweight materials, therebyreducing the weight of the mass required to constantly change direction,and thus permit the use of standard, readily available materials andcomponents rather than specialty items needed to accommodate the forcescreated by a heavier mass.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a feather picker havingsectionalized finger supports interconnected with yieldable structure inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, detailed, elevational view illustrating therelationship of the yieldable structure to the spaced-apart sections ofone of the finger supports; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line44 of FIG. 3.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 broadly denotes anapparatus designed to be installed beneath an overhead conveyor linesuspending poultry carcasses from which feathers are to be removed as inthe above-identified patent. Inasmuch as apparatus 10 consists of a pairof identical units 11 placed in face-to-face relationship on oppositesides of the conveyor, the description will be confined to one of theunits 11 positioned on one side of the conveyor, it being understoodthat the opposite unit 11 is constructed and operates in like manner.

Unit 11 includes an elongated base 12 provided with a shiftable drivemechanism 14 having a finger support 16 operably coupled thereto, therebeing a plurality of feather picking fingers 17 extending laterally fromthe inner face of support 16. Elongated support 16 has its longitudinalaxis parallel with the direction of travel of the conveyor line.

Drive mechanism 14 consists of an electric motor 18 coupled to a pair ofspaced-apart shafts 20 by means of a notched belt 22 and cooperatingnotched pulleys 24 and 26. Shafts 20 are carried transversely of base 12by bearings 28 which are, in turn, supported by a frame 30 from whichmotor 18 is also suspended. Frame 30 is shiftab le laterally on base 12by adjusting means 31 and includes a beam 33 carrying bearings 29 forthe ends of shafts 20 proximal to pulleys 26. Mechanism 14 furtherincludes an eccentric 32 coupled to each shaft 20 by means of arms 34. Apair of spaced-apart, U-shaped brackets 36 affixed to the outer face 38of finger support 16 are journaled to eccentrics 32 by bearings 40.

Elongated support 16 has a plurality of apertures 44 to receive and holdfingers 17 and is divided into a pair of spaced, end-to-end,rectangular, plate-like sections 46, each of which is secured to one ofthe brackets 36. A yieldable structure 48 interconnects sections 46 attheir upper and lowermost edges, which edges terminate in laterallyextending flanges or projections 50 and 51. Support 16 is so positionedby brackets 36 that eccentrics 32 are located intermediate the ends ofeach of their respective sections 46 and are spaced in oppositedirections from structure 48.

Each of the upper and lower assemblies 53 of the structure 48 includes anumber of cylindrically-shaped elements 52 attached to each section 46respectively and to a pair of rigid connectors 54 joining the elements52. The elements 52 are provided with relatively rigid mounting means 56in the nature of cups secured to their corresponding sections 46 andconnectors 54 by studs 58 threaded into nuts rigid to cups 56. Eachelement 52 has a resilient body 57 of rubber or the like having the cups56 molded thereinto. An extension 60 for the lower assembly 53 isprovided on flange 51 to space those elements 52 away from face 38 whichwould otherwise interfere with the insertion of proximal fingers 17.Thus, each support 16 is provided with l6 elements 52 that are in turnjoined by four connectors 54.

Keeping in mind that considerable inertial stress is created within eachfinger support 16 due to its mass having to rapidly and constantlychange directions as it is moved in its orbital path by eccentrics 32,in order to minimize such stress and to thereby permit lighterconstruction of the entire apparatus, support 16 is sectionalized andthe interconnecting yieldable structures 48 provided so that as eacheccentric 32 actuates its respective section 46, the sections 46 mayindependently move relative to each other in all planes and yet operatesubstantially in unison. Further, the sectionalizing of supports 16eliminates the need for maintaining eccentrics 32 in exact angularphase. The yieldability of structures 48 compensates for the variationin center distances between the eccentrics 32 when they are notperfectly synchronized. As in the above-mentioned patent, counterweights6 2 and 64, provided as a part of mechanism 14 to dampen the vibrationsand counteract the out-of-balance situation created by the eccentrics 32and the corresponding offset relationship of the orbiting mass withrespect to shafts 20, are now capable, with the present invention, ofperforming their intended functions in an improved manner.

Structures 48, by virtue of elements 52, also compensate for thevariations in distance between each pair of sections 46 whilemaintaining the general relative relationship between each pair ofsections 46 because of rigid connectors 54. Elements 52 readily permitrelative movement of the sections 46 in a multitude of directions duringorbiting. The stress and vibration dampening qualities of elements 52further permit a reduction in the size and load-bearing requirements ofbearings 28 and 40, brackets 36, shafts 20, and eccentrics 32.

Therefore, both vibration and shock problems have been eliminated. Thedifficulty of synchronization of the eccentrics, the adverse effect ofinertia and the strains incident to rapid reversal of direction at theends of the strokes are of no further concern. With the improvementsabove described, the machine operates smoothly at all times with nonoticeable vibration or undue stress and strain on any of itscomponents.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a feather .picker,

a finger supporthaving a plurality of feather-picking fingers;

mechanism for driving the support through a predetermined path oftravel,

said support having a pair of sections; and

structure causing said sections to travel in unison through said path,

said structure permitting limited relative movement of said sections asthe same are driven by said mechanism,

said structure operably interconnecting the sections and including aresilient element attached to each section respectively and a connectorjoining the elements.

2. A feather picker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sections are inspaced, end-to-end relationship and said structure interconnects thesections at said ends thereof.

3. A feather picker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said path is orbital.

4. A feather picker as claimed in claim 3 wherein said mechanismincludes an eccentric for each section respectively and power meanscoupled with the eccentrics for actuating the latter.

5. A feather picker as claimed in claim 1 wherein each element isprovided with relatively rigid mounting means secured to itscorresponding section and to the connector.

6. A feather picker as claimed in claim 5 wherein diametrically opposedstuds secure the mounting means to the sections and to the connector.

7. A feather picker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said path is orbitaland wherein the elements permit said relative movement in a multitude ofdirections during orbiting of the sections.

8. A feather picker as claimed in claim 7 wherein said sections havelateral projections to which the elements are attached and saidconnector is relatively rigid.

9. A feather picker as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sections are inspaced, end-to-end relationship and said structure interconnects thesections at said ends thereof.

10. A feather picker as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mechanismincludes an eccentric for each section respectively and power meanscoupled with the eccentrics for actuating the latter.

11. A feather picker as claimed in claim 10 wherein the eccentrics areintermediate the ends of the sections and spaced in opposite directionsfrom said structure.

1. In a feather picker, a finger support having a plurality of feather-picking fingers; mechanism for driving the support through a predetermined path of travel, said support having a pair of sections; and structure causing said sections to travel in unison through said path, said structure permitting limited relative movement of said sections as the same are driven by said mechanism, said structure operably interconnecting the sections and including a resilient element attached to each section respectively and a connector joining the elements.
 2. A feather picker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sections are in spaced, end-to-end relationship and said structure interconnects the sections at said ends thereof.
 3. A feather picker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said path is orbital.
 4. A feather picker as claimed in claim 3 wherein said mechanism includes an eccentric for each section respectively and power means coupled with the eccentrics for actuating the latter.
 5. A feather picker as claimed in claim 1 wherein each element is provided with relatively rigid mounting means secured to its corresponding section and to the connector.
 6. A feather picker as claimed in claim 5 wherein diametrically opposed studs secure the mounting means to the sections and to the connector.
 7. A feather picker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said path is orbital and wherein the elements permit said relative movement in a multitude of directions during orbiting of the sections.
 8. A feather picker as claimed in claim 7 wherein said sections have lateral projections to which the elements are attached and said connector is relatively rigid.
 9. A feather picker as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sections are in spaced, end-to-end relationship and said structure interconnects the sections at said ends thereof.
 10. A feather picker as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mechanism includes an eccentric for each section respectively and power means coupled with the eccentrics for actuating the latter.
 11. A feather picker as claiMed in claim 10 wherein the eccentrics are intermediate the ends of the sections and spaced in opposite directions from said structure. 